Before The Black Pearl
by Elanor Joy
Summary: What was the reason? What happened in Captain Jack Sparrow's early adulthood that brought on the drunkeness, the whoring, and the great love for the Black Pearl? A lady and a baby.
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1

"Pardon me." A twenty year old Jack Sparrow said somewhat sarcastically as he stepped aside to let a very large man and a hooded figure by on the narrow streets of Tortuga. He cold see plainly that the hood covered a woman, a young one, rather small, and slender. He decided it might be a good idea to follow them, perhaps get to talk to her. They went right where he figured they would go, a very popular pub. He waited a few minutes after they had entered then followed. His eyes briefly scanned the room before making his way to the edge of the bar.

"Hey Cutie. Can I 'elp ya?" One of the floozies stepped in front of him, blocking his path. 

"I'm afraid not today," he said, quickly side-stepping her. He managed to avoid further obstacles and sat down not too far from the group. 

"Bartender! Gimme a shot of rum!" He called. As the drink was placed in front of him, someone roughly grabbed his arm.

"Excuse me," already the man's voice was slurred from alcohol. He nodded over at the hooded girl beside him. "Would ye watch that?"

Jack's face broke into a small smile.

"Of course mate."

"If she gets 'urt ye get 'urt." The smile vanished. "I'll be back." The floozy who'd tried to get him only minutes before appeared over the big mans shoulder.

"C'mon up to me room!" She whispered seductively into his ear as she wrapped her white arms around his neck from behind, letting her hands drift down his huge chest. The man looked at her appreciatively. 

"Like I said, I'll be back." And the two disappeared up the stairs. Well, he wouldn't be back for a while. Jack slid over to the stool next to the girl. 

"Ello there." She looked at him over a veil that hid all of her face, but her eyes. Which he could not see because of the poor light.

"Are you the one he found to look after me?" He detected a hint of disdain in her voice.

"I take it ye don't be liken da arrangement?" 

"Tis pretty obvious."

"Would you like to go to a quieter, brighter, part of the pub with little or no people? Then you kin take off that hood an I can feel like I'm talkin' to a person instead of a sheet." She nodded. Jack gently took her arm and led her to a very secluded part of the pub. _(the one he took Mr. Gibbs to)_ Once she was seated he took a flint from his pocket and moved about the room lighting candles and oil lamps.

"Now isn't that nice?" he asked turning towards her. He caught his breath, she had removed the veil and hood, reveling one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever seen. She had long chestnut hair that shone with auburn highlights in the lamplight. Her creamy skin was smooth and unblemished, save for a tiny beauty mark in the outer corner of her left eye. Her eyes were the color of emeralds, and were fringed with looong dark lashes.

"No wonder they made you don a veil," he breathed. Her face became indignant.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"No, no. That's not what I meant! This is Tortuga luv, a pirate haven. Many of these men could not be trusted in the presence of a girl with your beauty." He explained. "I take it you're not a pirate?"

"How do you figure?" Her voice held a hostile sarcasm.

"Well, for one, I only know of a few woman pirates, one's dead, the other two, well you're far too pretty to be either. Two, those two women I mentioned, I'm not even supposed to know are women, considering having women on board is supposedly bad luck. Though in the few cases where I've been put in a situation like that have proved that theory wrong. And three, your accent betrays you, luv. You've had a proper upbringing'. Some eunuchs daughter are you? Perchance a gov'ners?"

"Well I see there's no fooling you." Her tone of voice was slightly angry and he decided to brush it off. 

"Care to tell me what a fine, high-bred lady such as yourself is doing in such a place as Tortuga?" 

She fixed her eyes on the flame of the lamp on the table in front of her.

"I was taken captive after pirates attacked the ship I was on,"

"Just you?" 

"I was the only woman on board. They didn't see fit to kill me like the rest." Her voice held no resentment as he thought it would. Just pain, grief, and listlessness.

"When I was young I always dreamed of being captured by pirates...It's not as romantic as I thought it would be..." She sneered, and somehow he knew she'd give anything just to be back where she belonged. She looked up, meeting the young pirates eye. For the first time in weeks she saw compassion in someone's eyes. She was slightly pleased at how his rich, chocolate brown eyes looked when he let the hardness fall away. She examined the young man more carefully. His skin was brazen from working in the Caribbean sun every day. His long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He had a dark goatee and mustache, and surprisingly, straight, white teeth. There was a red bandanna wrapped around his head, with some kind of a red and black insignia on it. When he finally moved from her gaze she saw muscles ripple from beneath his poet shirt which was ripped a few inches in the middle, reveling the same bronze skin as his face. He was wearing black pants and soft black leather boots, a red sash was tied around his waist. There was a cutlass strapped to his side and a gun attached to a belt across his chest. As he turned she saw the flash of a small golden hoop in his earlobe. He was very...She shook her head, this was not the kind of man she should be falling for. Not after what the pirates did to her.

Jack felt himself flush slightly at her open scrutiny. She must have realized that she was being rude in staring, for she dropped her gaze back to the tabletop. 

"What's you name?" He asked after several minutes of silence

"Melia." (Ma-li-ah) She murmured a but hesitantly. 

"Never heard of that one before. What's the origin?"

"In Greek mythology, the god of the ocean, Oceanus, had several thousand nymph children. Melia was his first and favorite nymph daughter." 

"All right then." 

"My great-grandfather used to tell my mother Greek mythology to out her to sleep when she was a child. She loved the story of Oceanus..." Why was she telling him this? He was a pirate!

"So much that she named her first child after his." Jack finished for her.

"Mmm-hmm. What's your name?"

"Jack Sparrow." She dropped the mug she was holding, letting it crash to the floor in a thousand pieces and slowly turned around to face him. He'd never seen such horror as that on her face.

"You...you're not related to the Golden Sparrow, are you?" The Golden Sparrow was a notorious Spanish pirate, so rich in plunder he'd earned the name.

"What would you say if I said I'm his only son?" She became indignant again.

"You couldn't possibly be. You've a heart. You're.....kind. He....he might as well be made of the metal he covets so. Cold, hard, the root of all evil."

"Why do say you such things?"

"The Golden Sparrow killed my father."


	2. Tortoga? They Left Me In Tortuga? Why Me...

Chapter 2

The two didn't talk very much after that. Jack couldn't blame her for clamming up. He would've too. The big man who was supposed to be watching her never did come back. Jack and Melia sat there until the early hours of the morning, and he simply never showed up. When Melia fell asleep huddled up in a corner he decided it was time they both leave. He began to scoop her up into his strong arms, when she suddenly screamed and he almost dropped her. She stared up into his face, fear darkened her eyes.

"What is it?" He asked, gently setting her down, but leaving his arm around her.

"On board the ship. Someone tried to pick me up in the middle of the night. That time I was very tried. I didn't wake up." Her shoulders shook. "I was...never mind."

"Oh. I'm sorry." She drew the cloak more tightly around herself.

"Tis in the past. I know longer let it control me."

"What happened to the man, if I may be so bold to ask?"

"I told the captain about the pawing and I never saw the man again. Something about it being against the code..." Jack nodded. Twas against the code to do such a thing to a woman who didn't want to. They sat in silence for a long time.

"Well now that you're awake shall we get something to drink perhaps?" Jack asked. "Melia?" He looked down at her. A smile played around the corners of his lips. She'd fallen asleep, her small body curled up against his. This time when he gently picked her up, she didn't wake. He carried her to a boarding house on the edge of the small town where he knew she'd be safe. After seeing to that she was comfortably tucked under the blankets of the small bed in the small room he'd rented for her, he kissed her sleeping lips and left Tortuga.

******************************************************************

"Melia! I need you taking orders out here!" Called Treva, the big woman who owned the boarding house/restaurant where she lived. The eighteen year old rolled her eyes. Treva sounded like she was drunk. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence. She stood up from the worn table and dumped the rest of something that resembled stew back into the bubbling pot. Treva wasn't that good of a cook either, but when you'd had nothing but hardtack for weeks at a time, she supposed anything would taste good. She wiped her hands on the apron that circled her twice and entered the loud dining room. Glancing at the broken clock that hung precariously on the wall she sighed with relief, dinner hours were almost over. Soon all the pirates that lined the tables would head over to the 'henhouses' to get drunk and finally feel wanted. She squared her shoulders and entered the room with renewed vigor.

An hour and a half later the costumers were finally beginning to trickle out of the restaurant. Suddenly the doors flew open and the remainder room fell silent. Melia glanced over her shoulder to see what was going on. The man that met her gaze made her freeze. It was the man who had eight weeks previously had boarded the ship she was sailing to England on, killed the whole crew before her eyes, while some of his men took everything and anything from the ship, and taken her captive. The same man had let a her 'bodyguard' take her to a henhouse and forgot her there. Eight months later he was back, for her. The crowd of people between them parted like the Red Sea.

"Ye. Come wid me. Now."

"I see no reason why I should." Her voice was deadly cold. The man drew a pistol, cocked it, and aimed directly at her head. She looked at the pistol, at the man, and at the pistol again.

"Let me get my things."

"Yer tings are right where ye left dem on me ship." She blinked and looked at the gun again.

"Well then, lets go." She slowly moved toward him, pausing to say a few words to one person or another. Once she reached him he grabbed her arm a held the gun to her head. 

"You're in a good mood, aren't ya." She muttered.

"That's enough." Turned her around and pushed her out the door.

"Remind me again why you're doing this?" She asked halfway there.

He grunted.

"Oh." She decided it would be best if she just shut up for the rest of their walk. 


	3. Filthy, Discusting Pirates

JessieRose: Thanks for reviewing! Here's more!

Jeyke: Is that pronounced like Jake or something else? Remember this is Before the 

Black Pearl. He hadn't gone crazy...yet. :)

Cap'n Jack Sparrow: Thanks! I'm surprised so many (6) people like me story...

Storm: Pray tell, what in blazes is a Mary-Sue? I'm new to the world of fanfiction, and that term confuses me!

Cptnjcksparrow: Don't you just love that name? I'm gonna name my daughter Melia...if I ever get around to having kids! Big skeery pirates, love 'em. Glad you like it! 

Chapter 3

"Now Jack, iffin ye kin take de ship I been tellin' ye 'bout, methinks we'll reach it a de end o' da month, ye kin 'ave it an' never see or 'ear o'me 'gain. Savvy?" Jack Sparrow stared at his father. The Golden Sparrow had never shown any favor towards his only son, be here he was letting him take advantage of the extra crew members to 'commandeer' a ship!

"Why?" There was doubt in his voice.

"Well son, I've taught ye all dat I kin. It's time fer ye ta be out on yer own." Jack didn't know why he'd asked. He knew his father would lie. His father never had like him. He was a 'mistake'. When his mother had found out her baby's fathers profession, she'd given him the baby and disappeared. His father had never forgiven him for that, though it wasn't the child's fault. Yet, feeling honor bound, he'd taken the child in, taught him about was he was best at, pirating. Over the years Jack had excelled in fast talking his way out of trouble, the art of self defense, with a sword, making his only match his father. He could navigate a ship threw all storms and squalls. He had a natural commanding air about him that, and had gained the respect of all the crew. His father knew he was getting old, and he did not want to face his son in a battle over the ship. Plain and simple as that.

"Aye, aye Cap'n."

******************************************************************

Melia spent what seemed to be a month locked in the brig. It was obvious that this captain had zero tolerance or respect for women. He'd sent whatever crewmembers he thought would scare the most down with her meal, a crust of stale bread and water, to sexual favors in return for real food. She had glared at them they grew uncomfortable and left the room. After a few weeks of this she was so hungry , she was almost willing to do whatever the crew wanted for a loaf of bread or perhaps an apple...almost. She barely made it through those days. One morning she woke so weak from hunger and with such an awful headache that she knew this would be the day. It was that or die. She spent the day preparing herself for the two thirty feeding, but it never came. Around high noon she heard a ship pull along side what ever the ships name was.

She heard the battle cries of men on both sides, the cries of horror when they realized that a sword had been stuck through their stomach or heart. And eventually, silence. The battle was over, this new set had won. Cries of victory filled the air. Moments later the sounds of the men searching the ship for valuables. All her hopes of this being a British ship were crushed. Did she dare cry out? Would it be better to starve to death, which was very likely if they didn't find her, or be blown up, a very common way for pirate captains to dispose of empty ships. What if they were as vile as the crew they'd just slaughtered? But what if they blew the ship up? She decided to risk it. She tipped her protesting head back a screamed for all she was worth. Ouch, that hurt her head really bad! She listened for few minutes, they'd definitely heard her. She screamed again, leading them to her. That really, really hurt! The lack of food and now fresh air to her head was making the room spin. She was going to pass out. Well not without a fight! She tipped her head back again and screamed bloody murder before all went black.

******************************************************************

"Cap'n we found 'er!" Jack turned from the helm towards the voice. It was an older crewman, Mitty.

"Well...?" 

"Unconscious. She be in awful bad shape Sir."

"Bring her 'ere." Mitty waved an arm, and another crewman hurried up the steps, draped over one arm was the figure of a young girl. The big man quickly laid her in Jack's open arms. The first thing he noticed was that she was terribly light. Honestly she felt like she didn't weigh more than ten pounds. The next was that her face was vaguely familiar. He went to the previous captain's room laid her down on the rather large bed and studied her face more closely, suddenly it dawned on him.

"Melia?"


	4. Wouldn't You Just Love To Wake Up To Jac...

Jeyke: Is that girl or guy? Don't get all offended, just asking. Awesome spelling either way. Isn't great how you can change words around and make them look however you want? A nice looong review. I LOVE long reviews! You're lucky that I can't say no to miserable smiles! Here's your next chapter, all in the same day too...I'm crazy!

Cptnjcksparrow: Pretty face? How's about pretty entirety? Okay, so talking about kids at 13 is a tad bit...much. Who cares again??? Another fairly long review! That makes my day!

Liyah: I'm sooo sorry I didn't mention you in my last chapter! Forgive me??? *puppydog eyes* And I'm going as fast as I possibly can! 

Chapter 4

Melia shifted her position on the mattress...MATTRESS?! Her eyes few open and a short gasp escaped her mouth. She was actually in a room! Not that she hadn't been in one previously, but this was a _real_ room. With a bed, lanterns, a dresser, and pillows beneath her head, blankets tucked securely around her, a feather mattress. 

"Ello luv." 

She started to sit up, much to the agony of her poor head. Leaning back on her elbows, she turned her pounding head toward the other occupant, taking him in. He was dressed in typical pirate garb, a big, slightly ratty, white shirt, black pants and boots, a long, white and red stripped sash wrapped around his waist, partially covering the hilt of a sword. His long, dark hair was kept out of his face with a red bandana.

"Jack? Jack Sparrow?" 

Her voice was taunting as she tried to keep a hard exterior. She smelt food, which increased the throbbing of her head.

"Captain Jack Sparrow if you please luv."

"If I may be so bold to ask, what are you doing here? More importantly, why am I.." 

She hunched over, the pain in her stomach becoming unbearable. Jack rushed over to her side, easing her back onto the pillows.

"When was the time you last ate?" He asked brushing hair off of her face with the hand she wasn't clinging to for dear life. She flinched at his touch and closed her eyes as he disentangled her hand from his to stand up and get the broth the cook had made for her.

"Let's see...ouch...Do you mean real food or stale, slightly moldy bits of bread?"

"Real, nourishing food."

"Oh darn. I can't seem to remember when I last has some of the stuff. Bloody pirates." 

He sat down again, a bowl of steaming broth in his hands.

"Then even this awful stuff'll taste good. Lean up a bit. Good girl."

He placed a couple more pillows beneath her head so she was elevated some. He dipped the spoon in the almost clear liquid and held it to her lips.

"Go ahead. Tisn't poisoned." 

She opened her mouth and accepted the food. It slipped between her lips and down her throat. She couldn't remember anything ever tasting so good. 

"Do you think you can feed yerself?" He asked after a few spoonfuls. Accepting her nod, he handed her the bowl and stood up.

"Where are you going?" She asked, unconscious involuntary fear flashing across her eyes.

"I'll be just outside, up by the helm. Iffin you need me jest scream like you did this morning." 

She nodded and he left the room. After finishing her broth she felt much stronger, but was still very tired and decided to take advantage of the real bed to get some much needed sleep.

******************************************************************

Jack tried to enter the room quietly, and for once succeeded. After slipping off his boots and removing his sword from his waist he sank into the bed, completely forgetting its other occupant. She sat up and began hitting, kicking, and yelling. He clamped a hand over her mouth and pinned her arms behinds her with the other.

"Hush luv, it's just Jack. I'm gonna let go and light a lamp and we'll discuss sleeping arrangements, savvy?" At her nod he let go and stood up doing as he promised before sitting back down next to her on the bed.

"So what are we going to do?" She asked, giving him a sideways glance.

"Well, we've got a couple of options. One, you may sleep with the crew, two I'll kick the first mate out of 'is room , but I don't think he'll like that very much. Three we can share the bed, which is what I'd opt to do, but methinks you wouldn't like that very much. Four we can alternate sleeping on the floor, which would probably be best, eh?"

"I think four would be best. I don't even want to be in the same room as a pirate, much less in the same bed as one."

"That hurts luv." She looked over at him, eyes shining with anger and unshed tears.

"You know nothing of....I'll take the bed tonight." And on that note she lay back down and turned to face the wall.

Jack stared at her back. What was that supposed to mean? When did the likes of her ever know what pain truly was? She was the kind of girl who'd never been denied a single thing her heart desired. What could she possibly know of pain and hurt? After a few minutes of staring at her unmoving form, Jack decided it would be best if he got some sleep too.


	5. Old Memories Make An Appearance

Rainey! It's about time! And no, it's chapter 6. Sorry all. I reread it, and indeed it's chapter six. You must wait until the morrow Raine darlin'!

ChaoticLightningStorm: Oh, that's a Mary-Sue. Nope, nope, this ain't no Mary-Sue. Sorry to disappoint you.

Jeyke: No, no, no! You didn't sound annoyed at all! It's just some people have gotten after me for automatically assuming names, and the sexes they belong to, that's all. It's a good thing I wrote the first few chapters before posting them, eh? Makes my job a ton easier. THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER LOOOOOONG REVIEW!

Me: It's your choice to read this story, not mine.

Chapter 5

When he woke the next morning Melia wasn't there. He pulled on his jacket, boots and at the last minute, his sword before dashing out the door. Once in the small hallway he briefly paused. _If I was a half starved girl where would I be? _He didn't debate the fact that she would most definitely be in the galley. Upon reaching the above said place, he scoured the room for her, then went to question some of the inhabitants of her whereabouts. Mitty was the only one who had a vague idea.

"Came down here mad as a hornet. Said 'Where'd the filthy pirates put me clothes?' grabbed sumptin ta eat all da while a yowlin' bout how yer a stupid, vulgar pirate an' why, oh why, didn't dey blow 'er up wid da ship? Den she stormed off mutterin' sumptin 'bout the hull."

"How long ago was this?" Jack prompted.

"Bout 'alf hour 'go, Sir." Mitty said to Jack's retreating back.

"Well what's got inta' him?"

Jack stormed down the steps to the hull. He stopped in half step frozen to the spot with wonder. Melia was in there, wading through a room half filled with a sea of gold and silver coins and assorted other wealth. She was muttering to herself and didn't hear him enter. Once she was near the middle of the sea where several large trunks were she stopped and began digging in all the plunder, throwing different objects out of her way. He noticed that there were two trunks in the empty part of the floor. _Did she...?_ After he regained his composer and took a few steps toward her.

"Ah, luv, what are you doin'?

She spun around so quickly that her dress got tangled around her legs and she ended up falling down. Jack rushed over to her side and began to help her up. She shook off his hand as soon as she was upright and shook out her skirts, just like a proper lady. 

"Captain Sparrow. I was searching for my things that the blasted previous captain of this ship stored down here. As soon as I unearth them from all of this." She paused to wave her hand about the room. "I will have a couple of your men bring them up to my...our room." 

She flounced around and grabbed the handle of the last trunk and began pulling to the middle of the room, flinging whatever happened to be in her way out of it.

"Question luv." He asked, dodging a golden plate that came sailing at his head. She paused briefly, her back still to him.

"Yes?"

"How do you plan to get this up to my room?" 

She gave the trunk one final malicious tug, freeing of the debris that surrounded it, then turned around, brushing the hair out of her eyes impatiently.

"Captain Sparrow, you will get some of your men to get these to my room. Be sure the men are strong, for I have no idea as to how much each one ways and there are three of them total. I'll expect them to be in my room by two o'clock." Jack looked at her sharply.

"What in blazes to you mean? I don't believe I agreed to let you take over the CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS!"

"I believe I just ordered you to."

"HOLD IT! No one, and I mean absolutely NO ONE, orders Captain Jack Sparrow around, you hear me?! Now luv, you do realize I could put you back in da brig an' not give it a second thought. So I suggest you ordering me around if you like that bed you sleep in!" His voice held deadly seriousness.

"You wouldn't..." She spat.

"In a heartbeat." 

She clenched her teeth as she fought back the intense urge to hit him. Instead she grabbed his chin, holding it lightly between her thumb and her index finger. She could tell this unnerved him a bit and took full advantage of his silence.

"Captain Sparrow, I would greatly appreciate it if my things were in the room you so kindly are sharing with me." With each word she grasped his chin harder and harder until there were nail indentations in it. "By two o'clock." With a rough jerk she released his chin and stomped up the stairs muttering something about filthy pirates.

Jack lifted a hand to massage the pain in his chin away, watching her disappearing backside. That was blackmail, what she did. He looked at the three trunks in the middle of the floor with absolute dismay before turning around and going in search of some crazy men to help him drag three hundred pound trunks up two flights of stairs to his quarters.

An hour later he sank into one of the galley's benches, completely exhausted and somewhat embarrassed. He had found that the three trunks were not one hundred pounds, but two hundred, at least. It had taken two men for each trunk and Mitty was the only one brave enough to help him. On his last trip he'd seen Melia standing near the helm, with a rather triumphant look on her face. All at once he knew there'd be absolutely no living with her after this.

************************************************************************

Melia stared at him, unwanted tears forming in her eyes. She had never been awful to anyone as means of getting even for something they didn't even do. Yet here he was, putting up with her, honoring her requests, or demands as it were, just like Jonathan...No, Jonathan was a respectable, good, no wonderful man. Jack...er...Captain Sparrow was a pirate and deserved to be treated as such. A triumphant look crossed her face. She at least knew he'd give in to her requests with a little bit of prodding. She turned and moved towards the rail separating the deck from midair and stared at the rolling waves for the good part of an hour.

That is how Jack found her, sneaked up on her, and yelled in her ear. Causing her to scream, spin around, and almost slap him before she thought better of it. Instead she whirled around and stomped off to the captain's quarters. After she'd pushed a small dresser in front of the door to ensure privacy, she rushed to the nearest trunk, lovingly running caressing the slightly cracked leather. She grabbed a ribbon around her neck and lifted it over her head. Dangling from it was a skeleton key that fit all three of the trunks. She took a deep breath and inserted it into the trunk closest to her.

A squeal shattered the air. Inside were all sorts of gowns and their accessories, snugly packed together. She picked up the top gown and held it to her. It had been so long since she'd heard the rustle of taffeta, felt the softness of velvet, inhaled the sweet smell of the dried flowers and bits of cedar her mother scattered amongst her gowns to keep them fresh. She gingerly set it down on the bed so she could wipe away the tears that spilt from her eyes. She lifted gown after gown out in search of something plain. She finally found a peach colored gown, that didn't appear to need a corset and slipped into it, savoring the feeling of a fresh dress after almost eight months in the same old one. Once she was in it she realized that such a gown could not be worn when one had not had a decent scrub since the now dead pirate had came to Tortuga. With reluctance she took the gown off and put on the dirty one, making a mental note to ask Ja...the captain where she could get a bath. After setting the gown on the bed with the others she moved to the next trunk and carefully turned the key.

A sob of joy shook her small frame. The inside was one half filled with books, the other boxes of paper, ink, quills, and pencils, both lead and colored. She scooped up an armload of books, hugging them to her. After a few moments of silent tears, she released them to look over the titles. There were fiction, biographies, educational books, poetry, everything she'd missed most. With each new title fresh tears coursed down her face. She turned from the now huge pile of books in front of her and lifted a sheet of paper from the first box, savoring the brightness of a fresh page. Soon it was marred with her tears.

She stood and moved toward the last trunk, mentally preparing herself for what she knew it's contents would be. When she opened it, everyday dresses met her eyes. As she dug deeper she found several pairs of boots and slippers. Bonnets, shawls, and the like. And finally, a small, ornate chest containing her jewelry. She carefully lifted it out and stared at it for a long moment. After deciding that the old wound could now be opened, she lifted the lid. The gleam of the jewelry, brought a soft smile to her lips. She lifted piece by piece, letting the memories wash over her and with each memory came a fresh flood of tears. There was her mothers string of pearls. The gold and emerald necklace she got for her thirteenth birthday. The diamond necklace that had had a jewel added every year until she was sixteen. Countless pieces she'd inherited from her father's mother. An opal ring her uncle sent last Christmas.

A piece buried at the very bottom brought on compulsive sobs. Cries of anguish could be heard from the galley to the stern. Tormented screams echoed throughout the ship. She was clutching the piece to her chest, her head buried in her knees. The haunting cried continued for hours on end until Jack could not stand it any longer. He went to the room and pushed the door right open, in spite of the great measures she had taken to keep it shut. He knelt behind her and gently wrapped his arms around her.

"Do ye want ta tell Jack 'bout it?" She stiffened at his touch, but then forcibly relaxed. 

"No. No I do not. I just want to..." 

The thought was left hanging as she began crying again, this time letting him hold her. Leaning on him, letting him stroke her hair, and murmur soft words of comfort, it was so good after holding it in for so long. After a good part of an hour had passed she stopped crying and removed herself from his arms. 

"Captain Sparrow, I would greatly appreciate it if you'd get a tub up here along with some hot water. I feel the need to bathe." 

She stood and left the room, setting a small object on top of the dresser. Almost as an afterthought she paused.

"Thank you Captain." 

And she was gone. Jack looked around him at all the womanly things that filled the room, the brightly colored dresses on the bed, stacks of books on the floor, the three open trunks, partially filled. And finally the glittering object on the dresser. He moved toward it and picked it up. A diamond engagement ring shone in the palm of his large hand.


	6. The Ring's Past

Jeyke: I just realized, I've got a good friend named Jake. Hmm, not a very good friend if I just now remembered him...*shrugs* Me is glad you loves it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cptjcksparrow: Puppy doggies, CUTE! I don't know why I made that the title of the chapter. Here's your update!

Rainey: YOUR DAY HAS COME! HERE'S CHAPTER SIX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *does the yogurt dance*

Chapter 6

Melia went to the now empty galley and slipped to the back part to grab something that could be called soup. She went to the far corner of the room so no one could see her at first glance. She quickly drank the brothy soup, forgetting to bring a spoon and not wanting to get up again. After she was done she drew her knees up to her chest and just sat there for a long time, exhaustion sweeping over her.

That's how Jack found her when he was planning on telling her the tub was ready. He looked at her suspiciously, then poked her arm. When she didn't budge, he began to contemplate the consequences of waking her. After a moment he decided it would be more deadly not to wake her and gave her gentle shake. When that didn't work he gave her a not-so-gentle shake. As her head shot up, she let out a shriek. A frown flitted across her face, but then was gone.

"How is it that you always manage to scare me to death?"

"Tis a gift luv. I figured you'd want yer bath warm." She immediately stood up.

"Why didn't you say so?" And with that she flew up the stairs with eager anticipation. 

An hour later Melia left the room dressed in the peach gown she now felt worthy of. Her hair was pulled back in a long French braid, unruly stranded framing her face. An opal necklace fall just above the neckline and the metallic click of her high heeled shoes followed her down the short hallway. she followed sounds of the men to the galley. When she entered the room, it fell completely silent. She ignored it and strode towards a table surrounded by men. In the middle of the group sat Jack, staring at her openly.

"What's the matter? Have you never seen a women in a decent dress before?" She snapped. Immediately the room went back to it's several different card games.

"Is this what you do for fun?" She asked nodding toward the table covered with an odd assortment of cards, coins and even a few liquor flasks in the middle.

"Aye luv. As long as you kin bet money we play it. Do you know haw ta play anyting? 

"Only a bit of blackjack."

"That'll do. Want ta have a round?"

"Will your men mind?"

"What do you say gents? Shall we let the fine lady play?"

A hearty "aye" went around the table. All the men were interested in their captain's new friend.

Jack shuffled the cards and handed them to her.

"There always is a pretty blackjack dealer, eh?"

Two hours later, the men were grouped on Melia's side of the table, watching the game intensely. She had beaten Jack down to his very last shilling, and there was an immense pile of loot in the middle of the table.

"Are ye sure ye want to do this Sparrow? I'd hate to see a grown man cry."

"Captain Sparrow luv, an' I said I wanted another hit!" 

"Fine, fine. But you asked for it." 

She passed him another card. He picked it up and a small smile flitted across his face.

"What say you iffin we raise the stakes a bit?"

She glanced down at her cards. 

"Alright. What do you propose?"

"I say iffin I win, you tell me 'bout this." 

He produced her ring from his breast pocket. She lunged across the table at him.

"Where did you find that?!" 

He moved back a bit as Mitty roughly pulled her back into her seat. He held up a hand to stop the angry words from pouring from he mouth.

"You didn't let me finish my proposition luv. As I was saying, I win an' you tell me bout the ring, an' I give it back. You win an' I give you back yer purty ring."

If looks could kill...Well, Jack would've been dead long ago. 

"Fine, show your cards."

"Ladies first." She flipped her cards over.

"Twenty." She grinned triumphantly.

"That's good luv..."Something in his voice made her grin disappear. "But not good enough. Twenty-one."

"Gentlemen, help yourselves to what's left on the table." She said, voice soft and trembly. 

She rose and began to ascend to the deck. She turned slightly.

"Captain, are you coming?" 

Jack slowly stepped away from the table, stuffing the remainder of the coins in his hands into his pockets. 

She walked to the railing that separated herself from the water, staring out into the open sea.

"So what would you like to know about it, Captain?"

"Who's it from?"

"A wonderful, amazing man. Captain Jonathan Davis." Her voice was sad.

"I take it you were planin' on marryin' him?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Until...?"

"Until he was mercilessly slaughtered by pirates."

Jack tried to look at her face, just to see her expression, to trace her voice. She was staring out to sea, face completely vacant. He'd expected to hear resentment, but oddly enough it was simply empty and cold.

"So that's it."

She sniffed.

"What?"

"Why you're so hostile toward us pirates."

"I don't see I shouldn't be Pirates are the reason my father died when I was but four. Pirates are the reason my mother was crying on her _second _wedding day. Pirates are the reason she had that second wedding, so I could have a good life. Pirates are the reason my stepfather had to root us up and take us to the Caribbean so we could start fresh. Pirates are the reason my mother grieved for thirteen years until she joined my father in heaven. Pirates are the reason the only man I ever loved was murdered in cold blood before my very eyes. Pirates are the reason I barely slept for eight weeks even though there were three locks on my door. Pirates are the reason my ba...Never mind." 

"Well don't stop there luv. You were just gettin yourself all worked up. Yer what?"

"Pirates are the reason my baby was conceived." Jack felt his jaw dropped.

"Yer...yer...yer..?"

Authors Notes: Should I stop here????

Nah!

"Yes Jack! My baby! My baby is coming into this world because it's mother was half starved to death and was willing to do anything for decent food. There! Are you happy now? You've gotten my secret out! Are you pleased with yourself Jack?! Are you?! Someone should get some sort of pleasure out of this!" She spun around to face him, dark green eyes sparkling with anger, or was that fear?

"How long have you known?" 

She recoiled, not expecting to see compassion in his eyes.

"About...about a month, a month and a half." She turned around, not being able to bear the heaviness of his gaze. She felt tears flood her eyes and fall down her cheeks.

"Melia...Please lemme hold you..." She shied away from his outstretched hand.

"No Jack, er..Captain. I don't deserve to be comforted. It's because of my selfishness that I reduced myself to a common harlot. I don't deserve to be..."

He grabbed her by her shoulders and roughly spun her around to face him.

"Let me tell you what you don't deserve. You don't deserve to be stuck here. You don't deserve the way life's treated you. You don't deserve me to comfort you, but I'm all dat's here. So please lemme take away some of the pain. Please...?"

He tipped her face up to look him in the eye. She tried to look away, but his eyes drew her in. She began to tremble as she willed the tears not to fall. A prodigal one fell from her eyelashes. Jack reached up and with a touch like fairy wings, wiped it away. That was it! She dropped against his shoulder and broke down sobbing. He wrapped his arms around her, gently stroking her hair and rubbing her back.

"Hush now. It's all right. Jack'll make it better. Don't worry luv. We'll figure out somethin'. Shhh. Quiet now. There's a good girl. it'll be all right."

"Jack what am I going to do?" She whimpered against his shoulder.

"I quite know luv. We'll figure out somethin'. You got Jack here to make things better." 


	7. Why Is This Happening?

Jeyke: If you dare stop reviewing, I'll...I'll...I don't know what I'll do. But it won't be good I can tell you that much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *ggrrrrr*

Chapter 7

"Jack, what am I going to do?"

"Well, luv. We're gonna port in Tortuga sometime 'round the end of dis month. That'll 'bout two, three weeks. I say you stay there till the baby be born."

"But that's almost seven months!" 

"Aye."

"I will not stay in pirate town for seven months."

"An' what do you suggest?"

"I'll stay here, on the ship."

"An' have your baby delivered here?! Methinks not!"

"What's wrong with that?"

"This is a pirate ship, Melia. Not a fancy room wid and nurse an' doctor outside your door, ready ta help you."

"I can take care of myself!"

"You can't deliver a baby on your own."

"Are you suggesting I have a random floozy deliver my baby instead?"

"I was thinkin' more 'long the lines of Treva actually."

"TREVA?! The woman's always half-drunk!"

"She's better 'an me!"

"If you think I would let YOU deliver MY baby, Jack, you're more crazy than I thought!"

"Well that's what your suggestin' by wantin' ta stay on me ship!"

"I will not have my baby born in Tortuga!"

"But you would have it born in a pirate ship?"

"Are you suggesting that a pirate town is a better place?"

"Well, tis' better than here!"

"How do you figure?"

"You'd have Treva."

"One no good woman to 'help' me. Wonderful."

Jacks eyes flashed. What was this girl thinking?! To have baby on this filthy, rat infested...That's it!

"Alright, you kin have your baby here."

Her eyes lit up and a smile slipped onto her lips.

"Thank you so much, Jack. I'm so afraid to let my baby be born among those I don't trust. You have no idea..."

Jack held up his hand.

"Luv, you gots ta stop interuptin' people. AS I was sayin' you kin have your baby on me filthy ship, but if it catches some sort o'infection an' dies, well den, don't blame me." 

She pressed a hand to her stomach. 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if cleanliness is next to godliness...I never claimed dis ship would get ta heaven..."

"I could risk letting my baby getting some awful disease and dieing?! Jack, please take me to Tortuga as fast as you can!" 

__

Ah, pregnant women. Better get ready for mood swings eh, Jack? He thought as his eyes followed her retreating form to their shared room.

***********************************************************************

Melia shut the door tightly behind her and leaned against it, suddenly exhausted. What was she thinking arguing on and on with Jack like that? The man had literally control of her future, hers _and_ her baby's. She subconsciously rested a hand lightly on her stomach. 

"I'll never let anything happen to you. I promise. Even if it means living in Tortuga for so long. It'll all turn out right. Don't worry. Nothing's going to go wrong. We'll be fine. All three of us." She whispered to her unborn child, letting the sound of her voice fill the quietness of the room. She told herself that this was silly, talking to the small life within her. But in the back of her mind she knew that she needed the reassuring just as much as her child did. 


	8. You're Kidding, Right?

SayDee27: I'm glad you like it! Sorry I didn't mention you in chapter 7! 

Jeyke: You are like my only reviewer any more! Except for SayDee up there...Oh well, with as many stories as there are on PotC, it's very understandable. Jack's so hot when he's arguing...Jack's just plain hot. Heehee. Blackmail is mean, and don't forget it! 

Chapter 8

Over the weeks that it took to get to Tortuga Melia began to show her pregnancy. She hated the suggestive comments and rude stares that she received, and dreaded docking in the pirate town, full knowing that the comments would only increase. 

She worked hard at whatever Jack would let her , throwing herself into it as comfort. She spent her evenings staring out to sea, wondering what would've happened if Jonathan hadn't been killed, if she had made it to England to live with her aunt until he could save enough for them to live on a seaside villa like they'd planned. It was only then that resentment for her baby hit hard. Jack often spent those times with her, listening to her reminisce about her Jonathan and how wonderful he was. To how she didn't want her baby, not right then, and he comforted her with encouraging words of comfort.

"Jack, when are we getting to Tortuga?"

"I'd say either tomorrow or da next day."

She nodded, a mixture of fear and relief in her eyes. 

"That's good."

"Aye." His eyes drifted over her face. She quickly looked out to sea to keep herself from getting lost in them.

"What will we do once we get there?"

"We'll go to Treva's. Her boarding house is probably the safest place in Tortuga."

"That's really comforting."

"I'm sorry Melia. Honest I am. I wish I could take ye to someplace civilized, but..."

"Don't worry, Jack. It's better that you stay out of prison."

"Aye."

Melia fixed her gaze on the horizon line, willing herself not to look at him. To save herself from the enchanting spell of his eyes.

"Jack, what are you going to do for seven months in Tortuga?" 

She finally decided that she could look at him. His face was shocked.

"You t'ought I was going to stay on dere fer so long?"

"Well, yes. Actually I did. You mean...?"

Jack mentally slapped himself for not making himself clear earlier. She had thought he'd stay on in Tortuga for so long. Oy, this wasn't going to be pretty.

"I was tinking more along da lines of jest you staying dere."

"By myself?!"

"Yes...?"

He prepared himself for an explosion.

"Me? All alone? In Tortuga? Me, alone? In-in...Tortuga? All by myself? In Tortuga?"

"Uh-huh."

She stared at him for the longest time, her eyes piercing clear through to the core of his being. Hurt drifted over her face like a veil.

"Oh."

She slowly turned away from him and went to the cabin. Not letting him see the tears in her eyes.

It took everything in him not to go to her and comfort her. If he did, he was going to see her tears, the tears made her eyes so large and luminous, he felt like he was staring into her soul, invading her heart. It was so hard. He wanted to hold her again, like he had that one night, but he felt unworthy. Unworthy of her love, of her trust, of her faith in him. She was from a completely different world than his. A world of riches, of pretty things, adoring men, and steadfast friends. His world was that of stealing riches, of stark simplicity, bar wenches, and untrustworthy acquaintances. They led completely different lives. She wasn't meant for someone as crude as he was. She was made to be one the arm for a man that could give her everything and anything. And even if he was worthy, he was forever indebted to her. His father had killed hers. He could never, ever expect her to forget that. Even if she could. he couldn't. And that was why he couldn't go to her. He couldn't let himself fall in love with her. 


	9. Tortuga, Again

Raine's 1st review: RAINE ISHIDA! Me? Jack obsessed? NEVER! Maybe a little...a lot...a whole lot...*grins sheepishly* WHO ISN'T??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?

2nd review: Yupperz, definitely a punishment for not updating NEED enough to keep me healthy. I swear, every single time I read a new chapter of that my writer's block goes away!

3rd review: Jack and anything to do with a baby really is hilarious... 

Cassie: I'm glad you like it! I updated two days later than I had planned, sorry you had to wait...

Jeyke: IF YOU DON'T GET OFF YOUR REAR AND REVIEW THIS STORY MORE OFTEN, I'M COMING CLEAR OVER THERE TO BEAT YOU!!!!!!!!! It's been a long time since your last review...*sniffles and compulsive sobs* Blackmail isn't fffffffuuuunnnnnnn.

Chapter 9

"LAND HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

The cry jolted Melia awake the next morning. She glanced around the room, searching for Jack. All that was left of his makeshift bed was a neat pile of blankets in the corner. The cry rang throughout the ship again, and she felt a sudden wave of fear wash over her entire being. She stood up, fighting the fear into the back of her mind. This was best for her baby, that's all that mattered. She slipped on a full, dark green skirt that was loose around her stomach and a white peasant blouse, and slipped out the door. She walked up beside Jack, keeping her face rigid and emotionless. 

"How much longer?" 

Jack's heart sped up at the sound of her voice. He fought to keep his voice steady.

"Two, three hours." 

Her face turned deadly white.

"I'll go pack my things."

"Don't be packin' pack a lot. You won't be needin' much."

"Of course." And without a backward glance, she disappeared again, leaving Jack to his thoughts, of her.

******************************************************************

They reached Tortuga within an hour, much both the captain and his only passenger's dismay. She spent that hour choosing between her precious books, full knowing that she would only be able to bring a few of them. She packed two other skirts, a few blouses and her heavy shawl, along with assorted other little things and three of her books. There was no way she'd be able to spend six months with just the few volumes, but they'd have to do. 

There was a soft rap on the door.

"Melia? You ready?" 

"Yes, give me a moment." She forced a smile on her face and picked up her satchel before reluctantly leaving the room. Jack met her in the narrow hallway, his arm held out like a formal escort. She reached out and slid her hand in the crook of his arm, fearing that any instant she might faint.

"Jack, must I?"

"I'm not takin' no chances, luv. Thus you must."

"But..." She stopped short when he sent her a menacing glare. _Alright, two can play at this game!_ she thought. Her mouth tightened into a thin line, she straightened her back, and lifted her head up a bit higher. 

"Let's get a move on then." Her crisp, English accent made the words even more blunt. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jack's hand move toward his pistol, but then fall limply at his side. 

"Aye." Stony silence hung around them as they proceeded to long boats that were going ashore. The crew felt the tension and also remained warily silent. 

************************************************************************

"Alright ye scabbard's dogs! Go on, have yer fun, be back here by sunrise, at least partially sober!" 

Cheers rose for the group of pirates before Melia. She hung slightly behind Jack, watching in wonder as he ordered the crew around like a bunch of school children. How was it that the man before her held such power, and why did the lot of frightening men fear and obey him? She watched the group slowly disperse, still somewhat in awe. She shook he head and shrugged her shoulders. Men! She icked up her bag and began to walk in the general direction to Treva's boarding house.

"Melia? Where you goin'?"

"To Treva's."

"But I thought we might get sumptin' to drink before you go..."

She snorted, "Jack, when was the last time you saw a pregnant woman drinking?"

He blinked, "Well then, you could come with me, and watch me drink afore you disappear into the twilight." 

"Captain Jack Sparrow. I no more want to watch you get drunk than I was to get drunk myself."

"I wasn't sayin' that luv, just a shot o'rum perchance."

"Well you can have your shot of rum without me thank you very much." And with that she turned on her heel and walked away. Jack blanched and scurried after her. 

"Melia, wait..." She stopped and stood perfectly still.

"Yes?"

"Look, luv, I don't want ta be leavin' you on some bad terms.."

"It's a little too late for that, Captain." Jack sighed.

"At least let me help you with your things...?" Now it was her turn to sigh. Why did he have to be so good to her? She was doing her best not to fall in love with him, her very best, but it just wasn't working! Maybe the six months apart would be good, for both of them. 


	10. Bye Bye Love

Jeyke: It's not my fault that the font size I use when I'm writing this thing makes it longer than it actually is. Thus you have no right to nag me. Especially since your chapters are so darn short! *AHEM!*

Chapter 10

*A month later*

Melia fell onto her worn bed, completely exhausted. She didn't even bother to put on a nightgown. She had woken up at the crack of dawn that morning and had spent the entire day running errands and all evening waitressing for Treva. She knew the older woman hadn't meant to work her to hard, but Melia was the only help she had during the day, and one more pretty waitress wouldn't hurt business any, even if the waitress was four and a half months pregnant. The work was fairly easy, it was just rough on her back. 

She bit back tears that filled her eyes while she wished again that she had begged Jack a bit harder to let her stay on the ship until the baby was closer to being born. She had been right, the time away from him had done her some good, for the first week, then a wave of homesickness like nothing she'd ever experienced before had hit her hard. She missed him so much. She missed the warmth of his arms. She missed his fleeting smile. She missed his eyes, drilling deep within her soul. She missed the sound of his breathing, steady and rhythmic, lulling her to sleep from his pallet on the floor. She missed the good natured banter between them. She missed their frequent arguments. Strangely enough, she missed reminding herself not to love him. But that was the lunatic inside her talking, they could hardly be in each other's presence without biting the other's head off. She determined that it was just frisson, nothing more. Her heart had died with Jonathan, and she loved no other. Or so she thought. 

*************************************************************************************************************************

Meanwhile, Jack was miles away, still sailing on to some tropical island off the map. Since he'd left Melia at Treva's, he had gone through the motions of captaining, but he felt empty. The wonderful freedom of the open seas and the wheel under his fingers no longer was pleasing. He missed her something awful, it took every possible ounce of strength he possessed not to spin the ship around and go back to her. But he restrained himself, he couldn't love her. He was in no way worthy of her love. Forever indebted to her, but never worthy of her love, her heart.

There simply was too much that he needed to repay to her before he could even allow himself to dream of her. 

So he busied himself with trying to figure out an appropriate name for his ship. Too long had they been sailing under a dead captain's colors and name. It was high time they started a new age of rampage on England's small colonies. But what was a name that would strike terror into the hearts of old and young alike at the very mention of it? His heart's desire was to call it the _Melia_, but he in no way wanted her beautiful name to slandered. He wished for the billionth time that he had waited a bit to drop her off at Tortuga, or at least that he's waited until they were on speaking terms.

*Flashback*

"Where be the lassie, Sir?" Jack turned and stared a Mitty as if he'd never seen him before in his life. 

"Say what?"

"Da girl, Cap'n. Idn't she comin' wid us?" 

Jack blinked, allowing the words time to register. Melia...she was...back at...Treva's if he remembered correctly. That morning he'd woken with a killed hangover and his head still ached something awful. The night before he and Melia had a terrible fight, one that was worse than any they'd ever had before. It ended in her throwing anything she could get her hands on at him and he retaliating by hurling words he was sure she'd never heard before at her, before slamming her door and then stomping down to the nearest saloon to get something, such as rum to drink. He'd only intended to take a few glasses, but he ended up getting drunk as a skunk. He'd woken in the corner of the empty saloon with a major hangover sometime in the wee hours of the morning. He was still legally drunk while talking to Mitty. 

"Didn't I tell you? She be stayin' here for a bit."

"How long?" Mitty asked, dread that it a few weeks they'd have to make the long journey back to Tortuga. 

"'Bout, five months or so."

"Mmm. So wha' da ye say we get on the move Cap'n?"

"You do the yelling, Mitty. I got so many voice up in here at the moment, I can't rightly tell which one is mine."

"You two 'ave a fight?"

"Aye."

"She madder den a wet hen?"

"Worse."

"Lovely."

"Let's not waste time, Mitty."

"Aye, Sir." The older man proceeded to yell a string of commands at the gathering crew in front of them. Jack turned and looked at the pirate town once more, praying to all the gods he know of that she'd be okay until he could get a hold of himself enough to be in her presence and not have to fight down the urge to spill his soul to her. 

*Melia's POV*

__

Am I too late? He said they'd be leaving at dawn's first light. What time is it? She glanced up at the sky as she ran through the empty streets of Tortuga. _If he's gone, I'll...I'll...._ She decided to leave the thought unfinished, the thought of not being able to say goodbye to evil in her mind. She ran harder trying to beat the sun to the beach. Luck was not with her. The coming baby made running difficult and running along the rocks and the in the sand of the beach hindered her even more. By the time she reached the place where Jack had landed, it was too late. All she saw was the longboats fading into bright light of the rising sun heading out to the ship. She screamed bloody murder before falling to her knees and crying her soul out into the ocean. She cried for Jack, for Jonathan, for her father, her mother, her home, her baby. She cried for freedom. She cried herself to a fitful sleep, filled with visions of Jack. A few hours later the cold water of the rising tide woke her and she stumbled back to Treva's to begin her new ob for the next couple of months.

*End of Flashback*

Jack, of course, didn't know Melia had tried to say goodbye, he had been to absorbed in staying conscious, but he was aware of the pain of being separated from her, for his mind had started playing tricks on him halfway to the ship. He swore he'd saw her shrunken figure huddled up on the beach. He swore he'd heard her heart wrenching scream. 


	11. My Best Friend's, Sister's

Authors Note: I'm so sorry for messing chapter 10 up. Thanks to all my reviewers who told me about it. It's funny, I got more reviews because of that lousy screw-up than I've gotten from any chapter before.

PirateWHSG: Glad you like it! 

Raine: They say absence make the heart grow fonder. 

BridgetLynn: Glad you like it too! 

Jeyke: NO NAGGING! THREE CHEERS FOR YOU!!!!! 

benbenmaddenismine: I like stars, stars are purdy. AND I HAVE FIVE! Thank you!!!!!

Chapter 11:

"MELIA!" The scream almost made her drop the dish she was washing. She groaned and poked her head out the door, taking in the horrid mess that filled the main dining room. 

"Treva? You holl...called?"

"Aye lass, 'elp these girls clean dis room up. I'll handle the kitchen."

"Yes ma'am." She said, sidestepping an overturned table towards the middle of the room. 

"Here, let me help you with that." She said to Lies, one of the other two waitresses, who was struggling with another overturned table. 

"Oh no, dearie. You gots to do light stuff. Margaret'll 'elp me."

"Aye, girlie you get some o'dese dishes to Treva to clean up. I'll 'elp Lies." 

Melia smiled her thanks to the girl who was not much older than herself. She had grown very close to the barmaids and the waitresses from the assorted saloons that all chose Treva's as a safe place to reside during the day when they weren't "working". She wouldn't have admitted it to anyone but herself during the early weeks, but the girls had given her a sort of companionship that she'd never had before among her upper class. high and mighty, princessy acquaintances back at Port Royal. These were real women, who actually cared about her, not about what she wore to the last dinner party or who she was seen walking about town with. These girls were hard working, if you could call what they did for a living work. They were haughty and jealous around men, but they cared about each other, truly cared. If one got hurt, the entire bunch got angry and the men on the island suffered for some odd amount of days, depending on how badly the one was hurt. They had been wary of Melia when she'd first been left in Tortuga, but now during her second stay they'd warmed up to her, accepted her. She had never felt so completely accepted before. Not even by Jack. 

"So ye heard from yer cap'n yet, Melia?" The speaker was Lies.

"He's not 'my captain'." 

"Kin I 'ave 'im den?"

She was greeted by silence. 

"So did ye last get a letter from 'im?"

"Just today actually." 

"And?"

"I haven't read it yet."

"Why not?!"

"No time."

"There be time now." 

"But what about--"

"We'll take care of it. Besides, ye won't be takin' dat long, will ye?"

"It feels pretty fat, it could take quite a bit of time." 

"Ye could read it out loud to us." Lies said playfully. "That'll help make up fer it."

"Lies, stop that. The girl kin read her letter whenever she so chooses, an' iffin she wants us to hear it she'll read it to us, end o'discussion."

"But.."

"Lies, stop it." 

"Oh Meggie, yer no fun."

"Never claimed ta be."

From behind Lies, Melia mouthed "Thank you" to Margaret. The woman somewhere in her early thirties smiled and nodded. Melia was an odd one. Anyone could plainly see the girl was in love with Sparrow, yet she denied any feelings for the man. Margaret wondered if Jack Sparrow did not return her feelings, and she was trying to hide hers from him, from all. She frowned and shook her head. She had never loved a man, now she was glad. A crash, followed by a startled cry aroused her from her thoughts. She joined Lies as she ran to Melia.

"What is it?" Melia was staring in shock a her protruding stomach. She looked up at them and their worried faces, then back at hr stomach.

"She kicked. She moved. I felt her."

Lies and Margaret exchanged a glance, both reading the relief and the exasperation in the other's eyes. Then the excitement.

"Let me feel!"

"No me!" Melia laughed a little.

"My stomach's large enough for both of you. Here." She took Lies hand and moved over her belly. "There we go."

Lies face broke into a smile and she giggled. 

"Well ain't that somethin'!" 

"My turn!" Margaret rarely ever got excited over anything, and now that she was, she was like a little girl. Melia moved her hand over her stomach.

"Oh, op...there she is." Margaret giggled.

"It's a she then, is it?" Melia looked up at her, mock horror on her face.

"What else would it be?"

"I always thought boy babies were so adorable."

"When was the last time you saw drop dead gorgeous boy baby?"

"When was the last time you saw a drop dead gorgeous baby?"

"When my best friend's, older sister's, fiancé's, nieces, neighbor's grand daughter's little brother's daughter was born." Melia answered without missing a beat.

"You actually saw that?" Lies asked

"No." The three women laughed like they hadn't laughed in a long time.

"Hey! What ye lassies doin' out here?! Why, you've barely started cleaning!"

"She started kicking." Melia managed between giggles.

"Which one?" Treva asked looking at one woman, then the other.

"This one." Melia pointed at her stomach.

"Oh! The young'n. Move aside, let me feel." For the first time since Melia had met Treva, the woman smiled.


	12. Letters Of Dismay

Dear Melia,  
  
Well love, what's there to tell you? We're on our way to Port-au- Prince. Lovely town. Ever been there? This will be my...third or forth time I believe. Perchance after the baby is born I'll be able to take you for a visit, eh? Maybe not...  
  
I haven't made any progress in naming my ship yet. I was thinking the Black something. I want to be able to strike fear into the hearts of men just by the name being murmured. The thing be, I don't rightly know what the kind of thing that strikes fear into the heart of all men would be. As you know, I'm not one who get afraid very easily. Though there is one thing, maybe two. What those two are, I highly doubt you'll ever know, though, you're the only one who could ever make this fear a reality.  
  
Have you chosen any names for your little one yet? Or are you as stuck as I? I reckon naming a living thing be quite a bit harder than naming an old relic such as me ship! You know I know of no good names, they aren't exactly my area of expertise, though, I am equally wonderful at everything I try, baby names are far too trivial.  
  
Good news! The way I sees it, we'll be back in Tortuga a few weeks before the kid is born! Now iffin that's a good thing or not, you'll have to decide.  
  
In spite of myself, I miss you, Melia. Take care, by the time you read this I'll be halfway back to Tortuga, unless this letter is delivered faster than I had expected, which I doubt.  
  
Captain Jack Sparrow  
  
Melia looked over the letter again, then a third time, searching for hidden meanings. She heaved a sigh. The man was so confusing! One moment she thought he might be harboring feelings for her, the next it was like the only one he cared about was himself. She ran her hand over the sheet of parchment, studying his handwriting. His letters beginning a paragraph were large and had many flourishes, but the rest of his handwriting was rather cramped and spidery. Quite like hers actually, bur hers had less flourishes and was smaller and in a different kind of cursive. When he normally wrote in pen and ink, she was lucky borrow a scrap of a pencil off of Treva. She had a bit of stationary that the previous occupant of her room had left, she made a mental note to ask Jack to send her some of her paper that she had packed away in her trunks the next time she wrote him. Her meager supply was running very short. And for a couple of pencils.  
  
She grabbed a book off the the table next to her bed and remeoveda few sheets of paper from the middle of it, then she pulled open the tables one, small drawer and took a stub of a pencil out of it and began writing.  
  
Dear Captain,  
  
So you're on your way back then? You'll be quite early if you're already halfway back. There are still five more months before she comes. Yes, it's a she. I decided so, thus she is.  
  
No, I've never been to Port-au-Prince, don't plan ever visiting it either. I've been thinking, and I finally decided that it would be better to raise my little girl in a proper home, not somewhere in the middle of the Carribean.  
  
Melia swallowed back tears, willing herslef not to ruin the paper with her tears as she finished it. She folded the paper up and stuffed it in the same envelope that Jack had sent his last letter in. She took her candle and held it over the evelope until enough droplets of wax had gathered there for her to press her fingerprint into it. She stood up and hurried to the docks to find a ship that was about to leave so she could beg the captain to give the letter to Captain Jack Sparrow should they run into his ship. Now all she could was wait.  
  
****************************************************************************   
  


* * *

  
"Cap'n there be a ship on the horizon." Mitty poked his head into Jack's quarters, frowning slightly at the mess it was.  
  
"Friend or foe?"  
  
"Has the appearance of a buckeneer ship, Sir."  
  
"Where's it headed?"  
  
"North of us."  
  
"They won't be havin' any booty yet, we'll catch 'em on there way back."  
  
"Yer just gonna let 'em pass?"  
  
"Why not?" Aye, aye, Sir."  
  
"Good man." Mitty started to leave when Jack's voice stopped him. "Mitty?"  
  
"Yes, Sir?"  
  
"Where fo ya s'pose they came from?"  
  
"Tortuga most likely." Jack's eyes lit up.  
  
"On second thought, Mitty, stop them, I'd like to have chat wid their captain."  
  
"Aye, aye, Cap'n. May I go now?"  
  
"Go on."  
  
An hour later the two ships met and both captain's were at the helm having a shouting match.  
  
"Where ya come from?" Jack yelled at the older man on the other ship.  
  
"Tortuga, two maybe three weeks ago."  
  
"Haven' t stopped since?" Aye, aye, Sir."  
  
"Good man." Mitty started to leave when Jack's voice stopped him. "Mitty?"  
  
"Yes, Sir?"  
  
"Where fo ya s'pose they came from?"  
  
"Tortuga most likely." Jack's eyes lit up.  
  
"On second thought, Mitty, stop them, I'd like to have chat wid their captain."  
  
"Aye, aye, Cap'n. May I go now?"  
  
"Go on."  
  
An hour later the two ships met and both captain's were at the helm having a shouting match.  
  
"Where ya come from?" Jack yelled at the older man on the other ship.  
  
"Tortuga, two maybe three weeks ago."  
  
"Haven' t stopped since?" "Nay. Yoor ship 'ave a name?"  
  
"Not at the moment, why?"  
  
"A pretty little lass back at Tortuga asked that if I should run across a ship with no name to give it's captain a letter."  
  
"Did she day the captain's name?"  
  
"A.....Jack Sparrow, I believe. You know of 'im."  
  
"Aye, I know him."  
  
"Would you be so kind as to give 'im dis letter? It's been weighin' on me mind fer quite sometime now."  
  
"Glad to, send it over." The burly man spoke to the wiry, little man next to him and then nodded. He withdrew an envelope from his breatpocket and handed it to the man who tucked it in his pocket.  
  
"Throw over a rope!" Jack did so, a knot tightening in his stomach. This was the first time he'd ever let a man belonging to a different crew on his ship.  
  
The man grabbed the rope, flew over to Jack, handed him the letter and was back on his own ship before the amount of a minute was up.  
  
"Thank you kindly, Captain...?"  
  
"Barbossa. And yer welcome."  
  
Jack watched for a few minutes as the ship went one way and his went the other. Towards Tortuga, within a months time he be there, back with Melia. He took the letter ans slid it out of the envelope. He read the greetings and the first paragraph, smileling at her insistence that her baby would be a girl. The next paragraph made the smaile vanish. He reread it, willing his eyes to play tricks on him. He read it again. There must be some mistake. There was no way. It was just a practical joke. It had to be. He read it again. It couldn't be. It just couldn't.  
  
I have decided that I want to go back to Jamaica. No, I don't want to go back, but one can't raise a child on the open seas. It's far too dangerous. In more ways than one. What if she fell overboard? What if pirates attacked? The what ifs are far too many and far too real to be ignored. So, I have decided it would be best if you took me and my child back where we belong as soon as she's old enough to travel.  
  
Please don't read this and think I'm not grateful. I truly am, you have no idea what great pain it causes me to pen these words. If it were just me I was thinking of...Well, it's not just me, so I won't bother you with my wishes. It's my baby I'm thinking of and her well-being, not my heart's desire.  
  
Melia 


	13. More Lettters and With Them More Worry

Author's Notes: Okay, I really, really need a baby name for Melia's little girl. No boy names, it's going to be a girl. End of discussion. So when you review, send in your favorite (or just one you like) name and I'll decide which one I like best, savvy? OH! Almost forgot, sorry I did mention anyone in my last chapter, the computer I was using was NOT my regular one and it majorly screwed my chapter up, so I just had to upload it the way it was. SORRY TO ALL MY DARLING REVIEWERS!!

Heather: *blushes* Thanks...

Lady Bee: *blushes even redder* I'm glad it's different, different is good. 

Raine: I know, I know. But it sounds good doesn't it?

2nd review from Raine: Elizabeth...hhmmm. Might 'ave sumptin dere. Rainey the Rogue Pirate Girl!

3rd review from Raine: Whoops! I'll fix it when I get a chance.

Jeyke: Repeat after me : Nagging is bad. Nagging is bad. Nagging is bad. 

2nd review from Jeyke: Length is not important. Length is not important. Length is not important.

Master Lizard: Love your penname. I'm gonna try to throw Barbossa in a bit, not quite sure how yet, but I'm going to try. 

Chapter 13: 

Mitty glanced nervously at the captain. Never before in all the years that he'd known Jack had he ever seen him so...disconnected. Not when his father had brought him onto a ship for the first time when he was not even yet six. Not when his father had refused to acknowledge him as his son. Not ever. Ever. Jack had been, was one of the strongest men he knew, and being a pirate he knew many strong men. It wasn't good to be disconnected when you were a captain. He of all people should know. That set you up so perfectly for a mutiny. Mitty shook his head and gave the captain another glance. He was just standing there at the helm, listlessly steering them on to Tortuga. 

****************************************************************************************************************

Melia began to load some empty plates onto the already heaped dumbwaiter. Finally it was time for her evening shift to end. Finally after what seemed to be hours upon hours of waiting tables and taking orders and dishing up what some called food she could go to sleep. Sometime around midday her stomach had begun to hurt like nothing she'd ever felt before. Automatically she had thought it was just something she'd eaten, but now she wasn't so sure. She pushed the dumbwaiter into the kitchen and went to her room, not even bothering to say goodnight to the Lies and Meg. 

****************************************************************************************************************

Jack stared a the map laying on his desk, trying to figure out a way to make the distance between himself and Melia shrink. Not such luck. It'd be almost a month before he got to her. At least he'd be there by the time the baby was born, almost two and a half months early actually. He dreaded the thought of the baby being born. He knew that after it was, it would only be a matter of time before Melia left him, for good. There was no point in asking her to reconsider. If was just her, things would have been different, so different. But she had a baby to think of as well and no matter how much Jack wanted to, he couldn't forget that important factor. There was someone else who depended on Melia and she would do everything in her power to make sure that child had the best of everything, and he knew that without a shadow of a doubt. Her little girl would have everything a child could possibly desire. It hurt him that he could not be part of her life, but what could he do? What could he say to change her mind? She was being logical. He had no way of knowing if she returned his feelings for her. No way at all. 

He would write her and give his consent. He pushed down his pain and opened his desk drawer to withdraw some paper. Which reminded him that she had asked for him to send her some of her supply she said it was in the unlocked trunk. He sent down the quill pen and went to the other side of the room to where he had stacked her trunks up after he'd deposited her in Tortuga. The one that didn't have lock on it was on top. Good luck on his part. He pulled it onto the floor so he could have better access while digging through it. Melia had said that she didn't know where exactly the paper was, but to dig around in the trunk until he found it. Indeed the trunk was a conglomerate of at least a hundred books and cedar boxes containing who knew what. He picked up the first box and shook it lightly. The rattle of pencils met his ears. He set the box aside and picked the next on up. It had ink bottles in it and it joined the other box on the floor. His next choice when rattled made little sound and so he determined it was indeed paper. He opened the box and withdrew about ten sheets before going back to his desk. He decided it wouldn't hurt anyone if he took just a few more sheets of paper for himself, in case he ran out. He lifted a sheet out and saw that it was written on, he set it down and took the next sheet out. It too, was written on. He looked more closely at it. It was a letter, he read the first couple of lines. A love letter! It wasn't in Melia's handwriting either. He studied the over flourished letters and decided whoever wrote it most definitely was a eunuch. Too many curlicues for it to be anyone else's. He doubted even a woman could write with so many frills and fancies.

__

My dear Melia,

It will not be long until I can be with you once again. 

Your very presence is intoxicating. I can't believe I've lived 

this long without seeing your face. I could ramble on and on 

about your virtues, your wonderful qualities, your beauty,

but I want you to finish this letter and be able to answer me 

by the time I'm once again with you. Marry me, please, marry me.

Love, love, love

Mark 

There was another letter behind it which he begrudgingly read, afraid of what he'd see.

__

Melia,

I did not realize you felt that way 

Please forgive me for any discomfort I 

may have caused you.

Mark

Jack smiled and chuckled softly. If he knew Melia well, which he did, he could only imagine how sweet and tender she had been when she reveled her true feelings for the poor man. About as sweet and tender as a shark. Poor man. He glanced briefly at the other letters, all of which were in a completely different hand. This writing was strong and self-assured. Very masculine compared to the other's, but rather gentle as well. He read over the page, amazed at how easily the man had written to her, as if he had known her for life and they were simply tow friends chatting by the fire. Signed Jonathan, her betrothed. The easy chatter didn't last long. After a few pages the letters became much more flirty and finally flat out love letters with rather lusty lines that made his blood boil. He was calmed slightly when Jonathan apologized for letting his emotions show. Jack wondered what Melia had said to that. He wasn't able to predict what Melia had retaliated with, because frankly, he'd never been put in such a position. He didn't know whether to be glad or not about that. After he had finished the packet of letters, he walked to his desk, slightly dejected. There was no doubt in his mind of how much they had been in love. He looked over the letters again and shook his head, how was he supposed to compete with that? He decided to go to bed and not to finish his letter tonight. There was just no point. 


	14. Too Early

Lady Bee: Calia, beautiful name, and cookies for you, you're the only one who sent in a name!

Dimonah Tralon: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like it! 

Raine: Leverage says you? I feel a change in the winds says I.

Liy@h: Men are stupid, stupid, stupid. They can't help it. 

Jeyke: If I didn't stop at the interesting places, no one would read my stories dearie. 

Chapter 14:

A sharp stab of pain woke Melia in the middle of the night, causing her to double over, as much as a pregnant woman could double over. It hurt so bad, but within minutes it was gone. She rolled over and tried to fall back to sleep, minutes later the same shooting pain returned. She forced herself to take deep breaths and relax. There was no way that the baby was coming. It was impossible. After the pain took leave she maneuvered herself into a sitting position and hobbled over to her door, trying to make as much headway before another sharp pain took over her body. She gradually made her way to Treva's room, pausing every few minutes to wait out the pain. By the time she was halfway there, she was stumbling blindly and the spasms of pain had become so bad that she was crying out and tears were forming in her eyes. She must have woken up Lies, because one second she was doubled over in pain, the next she was being supported as the older woman until the pain passed. 

"Melia?! What's wrong with you?" Lies asked as she half led, half carried Melia into her room.

"I...I...I think...the...the baby...is coming..." Melia gasped. Lies tipped her head so a curtain of long hair fell across her face to hid the fear that washed over it. It was too early. Far, far too early for this little chick to come. She began to pray as she helped Melia to lay down on her bed. 

"Okay, dearie. I'm gonna go get Treva. She'll know what to do. Will you be alright by yourself or do you want me to get Meg in here to sit with you?" Melia could only manage a brief nod and a whisper of the of the older woman's name before another contraction seized her. 

With that nod of assurance Lies ran from the room, hollering.

"Meg? Meg! Get into my room and help out that girl!" Meg appeared half asleep, half annoyed at her door.

"What?"

"Melia. The baby. My room." Was all that Lies had to gasp before the woman turned and started running like mad to Lies' room. Lies flew down the hall and began banging on Treva's door. A moment later a very disheveled, very displeased looking Treva opened the door.

"What is it, child?"

"It's Melia. The baby. It's coming."

"Now?!" The color drained from the old woman's face.

"Yes now." 

"But there still be three an' a half months!"

"I know, I know. I'm so scared for her." Lies blabbered, tears forming in her eyes.

"Okay luv. I want you to go boil lots of water, get a few of me big aprons, some soft cloths, and tie your hair back. Now hurry! Go!" The two women ran off in separate directions. 

When Treva entered Lies' room Meg had her arm around Melia and was stroking her hair off her face, while trying to hide the fear mirrored both of their eyes. 

"Meggie, in my room there's a cupboard. I want you to go look in that and find the blue glass. 

bottle and a basin, then get some hot water from Lies, alright?" She nodded and went to fetch the items. Treva watched Meg until she was a good ways down the hall before turning to Melia.

"Now girlie, how bad does it hurt and where?" She asked as she began to run skilled hands over her stomach. 

"There, there...Everywhere."

"Bad?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"Not good." Treva mumbled under her breath as she continued to lightly rub Melia's stomach. 

"What?" Melia whispered.

"Nothing, lovie."

"It's too early, isn't it?" Treva looked at her.

"Well love, it's a tab bit early."

"My baby's going to be alright, isn't she?" Melia's eyes bored into her, still and intense.

"I don't be rightly knowin' dearest."

"Treva..." Another contraction grabbed her and to Treva's relief the comment was left unfinished. After the contraction had passed, the other two women had returned with Treva's orders, Lies was frantic, but Meg was silent and withdrawn. Treva made a mental note to talk to her sometime, later. Not now, now Melia needed all of them.

"Treva? My water broke..." Melia murmured, fear imminent in her eyes. 

"Alright, dear heart. Now just hold off for moment." Treva said keeping her voice low and soothing, as she moved down to the end of the bed. 

"Lies, you stay up there and hold 'er hand. Meg, I'm gonna need your 'elp." Meg nodded and joined her near the bed end.

"Treva, my baby's too early..." Melia sounded as if she'd just realized the fact.

"Aye?"

"She's not gonna live?"

"Now luv, only Providence can decide that."

"But it's not likely?"

"Dearie, I don't rightly know."

"Don't lie to me!"

"Honey...We'll figure that out when the time comes. Now you gots to concentrate on gettin' that baby out. Next contraction, I wants you to push, alright?" Melia managed a brief nod, too chocked up to speak. 

__

"Hey sweetheart. You have to help Mama here, okay? I can't do this by myself. I need you. I need you to live honey. Please sweetness. Please angel. You want to live just as much as I want you to. I know you do. You have to work with me, with Treva, alright? Alright?" Her conversation with her unborn child was interrupted by yet another contraction. 

"Melia the baby has got to come now! NOW Melia!"

"But..."

"NOW! Meggie, hand me my bag." Meg hastened to comply and Treva withdrew a large brown bottle and dumped it's contents on Melia's legs. 

"It's cold!" 

"I know sweetie, I know. Squeeze my hand, sweet." Lies said, brushing the hair off of Melia's face with her free hand. 

"Push! Melia. PUSH! NOW!" Treva yelled.

"AAARRRGGGGHHHHH!" 

"Push!" 

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" 

Silence.

"Treva?"

"It's okay, love. It's okay. Meg gots her." 

"Her? Where are you taking her?"

"She's gonna clean her up before you see her, alright?"

Melia managed a hazy nod before blacking out.


	15. Perfect As A PEARL

Liy@h: Do you realize you're the only one who figured that out? Jack makes a brief appearance, here, but mostly it's Melia, again. Sorry.

Lady Bee() : Yeah...Babies are lovely.

Raine: So you got it too. Tell your brother thanks a million times for me for naming the baby! And I reviewed your story.

SayDee27: I maybe moe people caught on than I thought...I'm glad you liked the chapter so much. It was very difficult to write. 

jeyke: Grusome, that's one that hasn't come from you before. Suspense is my specialty dearest, I can't help it! 

Chapter 15: 

"Mitty? What day be it?" Jack asked, glancing up from the slop on his plate and taking a swig of rum.

"Well, Cap'n, methinks today be...Monday, Sir." Jack choked on his rum. 

"Monday?"

"Aye, there be a problem with it bein' Monday, Sir?"

"It's just earlier than I thought, mate, that's all."

"When d'ya 'spose we'll port in Tortuga, Cap'n?"

"Methinks in the next few days or so. Depends on the weather."

"Aye, aye, Cap'n."

**************************************************************************************************************** 

Fifteen minutes later Melia woke from her short sleep, er, unconsciousness. 

"Treva?" She murmured groggily.

"Aye, luv?"

"What...How...Where's..." She frowned and shook her head as if to clear it. "My little girl? Where is she?"

Treva bit her lip and turned her head away. This was not going to be easy.

"Melia, luv. The baby...It didn't...didn't live--"

"What?!" Melia shrieked in horror.

"She, you were right, it was a little girl. She...she didn't make it. She wasn't even born alive, luv."

"She...my...little girl? Didn't live? Wasn't born....alive?" Melia's eyes went completely vacant for a long moment.

"Can...can I see her?" She finally whispered. 

"The girl? You wants ta see 'er? O'course luv." She popped her head out the door and yelled for Lies.

"Yes'm?" Lies poked her head in, eyes puffy, nose red, and voice trembly. 

"Melia wants to hold her baby." Lies nodded and pressed a hand to her month to stifle the sob that pushed at the back of her throat.

"Of course. I'll be right back." A few minutes later she reentered the room a tiny, tiny bundle in her arms. 

"Here she is, Melia. A right purdy little thing too." She tried to smile halfheartedly, but failed miserably as she handed the little wrap over to Treva before backing out of the room. Treva looked down at the precious bundle in her arms, and then at Melia.

"You're sure dearie?" 

At her urgent nod, Treva placed the already stiff baby into Melia's waiting arms. Again there was silence for several minutes as the mother looked tenderly upon her baby for a long time. Melia felt her eyes cloud over with tears as she unwrapped the blanket from around the baby. After several minutes, she spoke, her voice choked with tears that she refused to let run down her cheeks.

"Look at her, Treva. She's perfect. Everything's all there. Every little finger, every little toe. Even her eyelashes. And she's so tiny. Even smaller than I'd imagined." Tears were streaming down Treva's face, but Melia managed to keep hers in check.

"Aye, that she is. Like a little pearl." Melia looked up from stroking the cold, smooth cheek.

"What'd you say?"

"She's perfect, lovie."

"No, after that."

"A pearl?"

"Yes, that. She is like a pearl, so small, so beautiful."

"Like 'er mother." Melia smiled a bit.

"It's true. And that's what I'll name her. Pearl."

"Name her? Dearest, are you sure that be wise?"

"Are you suggesting that my baby, my little girl, will just be put in the ground, no gravestone, no cross, no name, just to be forgotten by all?"

"If ye insist, Melia. If ye insist."

"Thank you." Melia leaned back on the bed of pillows behind her and continued stroking her baby, her Pearl. 

"Is there anything that fits her?"

"No, luv. Even the smallest things ye made wear too big on 'er." Melia nodded. 

"Of course. Would you fetch that small trunk in my room at the end of my bed. Please?" Treva nodded and left the room. 

Melia looked down at her tiny baby. 

"Hello." She whispered. "My precious little girl. I'm so sorry that you didn't live. I wish I could've done something...Anything. I tried darling. I really, really tried. I'm so, so sorry. I don't even want to think of all the things we could've done. You could've done. Why didn't you wait? Why? I wanted you so much! But you're in a far better place than I could have provided for you. You'll never be in pain, you'll never even know what pain is." Melia blinked back the flood of tears that suddenly surfaced in her eyes. "But I so wanted to hold you and comfort you when you cried. I wanted to wipe away you tears. I wanted to tell you that...that Momma was here and not to worry, you'll be fine. That I'd take care of it" Melia reached up to wipe away her tears. "I wanted to help you get dressed for your first ball. I wanted to give you everything that I could, precious. I wanted to hold you until you fear asleep in my arms. I wanted...I wanted." She dissolved in tears as she hugged the cold, stiff bundle to her chest. "I wanted you, Pearl. My Pearl." She whispered into the fringe of dark hair. And that's how Treva found her. Clinging to her Pearl, sobbing. 


	16. Sorrow Is Lonely

SayDee: So, I didn't exactly update soon, I've had major writer's block and a serious lack of inspiration. *sigh* Oh well...Glad you liked it.

jeyke: Yup, Jack makes all things good again, doesn't he? :) Of course he's coming back! What kind of a PotC fic would this be if JACK suddenly disappeared? 

Raine: I did not kill off the main character! At least not the two main ones! At least she didn't brutally die out in the middle of etherium! Apart from the man she loved! Grrr...

Master Lizard: I know, I know, I know. Kill off the baby, what a way to go, blah dee blah. No I'm not really this insensitive. Babies rock. 

Nosilla: Yeah, I hate killing things/people off, but it had to happen so Melia and Jack could be together. Thanks for reviewing!

iluvjcksprw!!: So many people are upset with me for killing that baby off. Sheesh. I'm glad you liked that Jack part, I worked hard on it. 

Bakura Lord of the Soulless: What the heck's an E.A.? I'm glad you like it though. Thanks so much for reviewing!

Liy@h: I'm sorry honey. But Melia l....Never mind. 

Chapter 16

Treva cleared her throat and Melia's head shot up. She stared at her for a moment, refocusing her thoughts, before reaching out for the small chest in Treva's arms. Treva made sure the heavy chest was secure in Melia's hands before backing out of the room. Melia set the chest on her lap and still cradling Pearl in one arm she opened the latch with her free hand. Inside were several odd bits and pieces of clothing, materials, thread, a few needles, and a pair of scissors. She dug around until she reached the near bottom. She pulled out a length of pure white cloth. It had once been a table cloth that had been in the middle of a drunken brawl between two customers and had been ripped almost in half, completely unmendable. Treva had almost thrown it out, but Melia stopped her, putting it away to save for something. She'd made a few tiny dresses from it, but there was still more material left than she would ever need. She dug around in the chest for scissors, a needle, and thread. If she couldn't dress her baby in already made clothes, she'd make a dress. 

She measured and cut and sewed and cut some more, and within a hour and a half she had a tiny, pure white dress and bonnet for Pearl to be buried in. She slipped the dress on the stiff, cold baby. and wrapped her in a soft, wine red, velvet, baby blanket that had once been part of an old dress she'd found on one of her walks. She dumped the contents of the chest out on the bed and took her own pillow and without a moments hesitation she cut it open, creating padding for the chest. She took a large scrap of pale pink satin a used it as lining, tucking the untrimmed edges under the feathers. She lifted Pearl up and took one long look at her, tears spilling over her eyelashes and onto her cheeks. She laid her down in the chest and kissed the baby's cool forehead before closing the lid. A dry click let her know the lock was secured and the thought struck her that she was packing away her baby. The tears flowed freely as she stood up and walked down the long hall, and then down the stairs.

In the stillness of the night she crept past where Treva and the other girls were talking. She walked outside into the cold, damp air. She walked deep into the island's small forest. Once she reached fairly level ground she knelt down and taking a large stick, she began to dig. She dug until there was a small, deep hole. She wanted to make sure that the small grave was deep enough so to keep wild animals from taking her baby. Once it was several feet deep, she placed the chest inside the hole, kissing the lid of the chest. She began to slid the soil back in place, packing it down hard. She found two sticks and using a strip of cloth from the bottom of her nightgown, she fashioned a cross, plunging it into the hard ground, slivers of wood catching in her fingers. 

She spent the wee hours of the morning knelt in front on the crude, wooden cross, face buried in her hands, sobbing as if her heart would break. Only after the sun had peaked over the horizon, lighting up the sky like a ball of fire did she rise and head back to Treva's. Her body was shivering, but she felt no cold. In fact it was hot, oh, so hot. Her head throbbed and her hands shook. Her eyelids felt as though they weighed ten pounds each, and she fought to remain conscious. She was inside the town now. She willed herself to stay awake. She was almost there. She was so tired. _Get to Treva's and you can sleep._ She thought, and she moved on. Each step was a struggle. One moment she was light headed, the next every hair weighed fifty pounds. _Keep moving._ She was beginning to lose her sense of direction. She was so tired. Before she could stop herself, she crumbled to the ground, unconscious. That's how Meg found her, fifty feet away from Treva's, almost two hours later, still unconscious. 

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Jack stared at the ceiling. He had not been able to fall asleep at all that night and it was getting close to morning. He had already gotten up and walked around the ship twice, but with no avail. He was tired, exhausted in fact, but everything that he normally used to get to sleep was **not** working. He thought back, trying to find something he had missed before when he was going over ways of falling asleep. He remembered when Melia had shared his quarters with him. When she had been sleeping on this bed and he was lying on the uncomfortable floor. How he had loathed her at the beginning. Loathed her feminine ways aboard his ship. Loathed her delicate accent compared to his brutish rogue. Loathed her dainty eating habits. Loathed her intelligence, which occasionally far exceeded his own. Loathed her in almost every aspect, but loathe had quickly turned to love. As the days had wore gone on, he began to believe there was no way he could ever live without her. The months he had were almost unbearable, and more than once he feared he would go absolutely insane. He thought back to the nights when she was lying within arms reach on his bed. When their late night talks and adamant discussions made him forget the crew talking just beneath his head. When, in the stillness of the night, Melia's soft breathing lulled him to sleep.

They would reach Tortuga the next day. He had summarized that they would be in port by late afternoon, if not earlier. He couldn't wait to see Melia again. He imagined her smiling, laughing. He imagined her thoughtful, attentive look as she listened to him relay his voyage, and the way her face would light up and her eyes would sparkle like two emeralds when she told him every little thing that had happened to her over the months. He couldn't wait to see the special smile she saved just for him. Couldn't wait to hear the sound of her voice. To see the sun catch the reddish highlights in her hair. To be in her presence. To hold her in his arms again, even if it was for just a brief instant. He couldn't wait. 


	17. Make The Baby Stop Crying

SayDee27: Wow! What a review! You make me feel so special! Yay! I'm glad I did that chapter right. I was kinda stuck on how to make Jack...right. I'm glad you liked it

jeyke: Hon, if you killed Jack off in your story what exactly would be the point of it? It's like blasphemy or something!

Raine Ishida: *sigh, unsigh* You win. I can't believe I'm doing this, but here goes the end of my writing career. 

You guys whatever you do, don't kill me until it's all said and done.

Chapter 17: 

"Treva, how is she?" Lies asked the older woman the instant she had shut the door to Melia's room.

"Bad fever an' delirious. She be chattin' wid invisible persons in dere." 

"But will she live?"

"I can't rightly say dearie. She been through an awful lot...an' I ain't no doctor neither. Methinks...I dunno what to think anymore. Iffen He owes ye any favors, now's de time to be askin' fer 'em." Treva looked down.

"Kin I go in an' see 'er?" Meg asked softly.

"She won't know yer there lovie."

"Kin I?"

"As ye wish. C'mon Lies, let's go."

"But..."

"Now Lies."

Meg gave Lies an apologetic look before disappearing into Melia's room.

"Gracie? Is that you?" Melia asked, looking Meg directly in the eyes. Meg remained silent. 

"Hello, Gracie darling, how are you?" No response.

"Lovely weather we're having, don't you think?" Meg glanced out the window at the overcast day.

"What's the matter? Are you mad at me dear?" Meg just looked at her.

"Gracie! Talk to me!" Melia said frantically. Still Meg stayed quiet. 

"Gracie! Please!" Melia was getting hysterical. "Gracie, what did I do?!" 

Meg snapped out of her trace and slowly moved toward the bed where Melia was muttering something incoherently. Meg reached to adjust the blankets.

"Don't touch me!" Melia screamed. Meg jumped back, trying to regain her wits. 

"It's okay luv. Remember me? It's Meggie darlin'. I don't want ta hurt 'cha none. Don't worry." Meg could see Melia was slipping back into silent slumber. She began to back out of the room.

"Gracie?" Meg hesitated.

"Grace!?"

"Yes dear?" 

"Would you make that baby stop crying?" Meg frowned.

"Ah...What baby dear?"

"It's really...close. You'll find it....It sounds....so...sad." Melia whispered before drifting off into sleep.

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"Okay, gents. At last it be time I might see some of ye ever again. I just wants all of ye ta know dat yer a fine crew an' it's been a pleasure ta have ye in me service an' iffen in de future if ye needs work, I'll do everythin' in me power ta make sure ye'll be on me ship. Until that fateful day...Well, I hope dat I never see any of ye ever 'gain." Jack smiled and the crew laughed. 

"Off with ye now!" The was a loud yell from the ex-crew and soon Jack's ship was empty save for him and Mitty.

"Ah...Sir, it's been a real pleasure bein' yer first mate an' all. I...uh...always kinda viewed you as me own son. An'...Well, iffen yer ever in need of a first mate, ye know where I stay. I'll miss ye lad." Jack smiled genuinely. 

"Same stuff back to ye mate." He stuck out his hand, but the big man ignored it and gave him a big bear hug. 

"See ye 'round ye big oaf." Jack said. 

"Likewise ye little bumbling misfit." Mitty turned and began to climb down the later that lead to the dock.

"An' son! Tell yer lassie I says 'hello'!" He yelled.

"That I will sir!" 

Jack watched Mitty from the helm until he could no longer see the big man. He turned and walked toward his cabin to get a few things before leaving. There was no point in staying on the tremendous ship without anyone on it. He scanned the room for things he would need. He looked over Melia's trunks and decided to surprise her and bring her back a fresh dress. He rummage through the trunks until he found a simple, spicy green dress that he knew would bring out her eyes. He looked around for the other little things that she often wore, but after a few minutes decided she'd have to put up with it the way it was with out fancy trimmings. He took another long look around the room before heading out the door. 


	18. Where Is She?

Okay, I know you all must be madder than a swarm of hornets, and if you're still reading this, I'm soooooooo sorry. I got grounded from the computer for a (long) while because I kinda have D in math. I'll try to make it up to you. I promise! SO to any of you who aren't mad at me for not updating in weeks upon weeks, have at it!

Chapter 18:

"MAKE THE BABY STOP!" Melia screamed and the woman that surrounded her exchanged yet another worried glance. Melia was still delirious, chatting with unseen, highbred gentlemen and ladies, but to Treva, Lies, and Meg, she said nothing. She complained of a monstrous headache and her face was flushed with fever, yet she wouldn't allow any of the women near her bedside. There were times that she fell into a light sleep, but those were few and far between. She raved for hours about the baby and it's sorrowful cries and how one could hardly think because of them. Other times she wiped away tears because the cries were so sad, so pitiful, so hurt, so lonely. Of course, she was the only one who heard these cries. The only one whose tears fell, were hers. Her heart was the only one tortured by the cries.

Jack whistled as he walked down the road to Treva's. He was in wonderful mood, and couldn't wait to see his love again. He knew he'd have to bring her back to where she belonged, but he pushed down the unpleasant thoughts and dwelt only on the fact that he was going to finally see her. Unconsciously his pace quickened, but little did he know what was waiting for him at Treva's.

Melia dropped off into a deep sleep and Treva sighed wearisomely.

"Why doncha' girls go get yerselves a cup o'coffee or sumptin?" She murmured. "Three peoples in 'ere lookin at 'er ain't gonna help any."

"But--" Lies started, but a gentle tug from Meg eased her out the door. Lies took a long look at Melia before Meg pulled her into the hall. Treva glanced out the door, making sure they were gone before she eased herself into a wooden chair and fixed her eyes on Melia's, finally, still form.

Jack stopped about thirty feet in front of the boarding house and frowned. The building was strangely dark, which was especially odd for this time of night. He glanced at the sky, it was dark, but not dark enough to close the always open doors. Supper hours were not yet over. Yet there were only a few dim lights on in the kitchen. A sick feeling washed over him, and he ran the rest of the distance to the house.

Meg lifted her head at the sound of footsteps on the front porch. She frowned and stood up, ready to fend off any drunken pirates with floozies hanging off their arms, looking for a place to spend the evening. She walked to the window and peeked out. Her blood froze. It was Captain Sparrow, pounding away at the door. What would she say to him? What could she say? 'Ya came too late. She be almost dead. But iffen ya want ye kin go up an' see 'er wasted away body and tell 'er ya love 'er...' ? That was a little harsh. Non less than he deserved, but harsh. Anger flared up within her heart. Why had he waited so long? If he loved her the way she claimed he did why hadn't he come sooner?! Her angry quickly receded. He hadn't known. If the baby had lived, it would be due within another month. A month early. A month early, yet days late. Pity engulfed her being. She didn't know if she could face him. If she could stand the questioning, panicked looks. But was else was there for her to do? She could send Lies to him. She glanced over at the chair where the young woman sat, only to find her asleep, head resting on folded arms. She closed her eyes and tried to mentally prepared herself. Whatever she did, she must not cry.

Jack pounded on the door until the windows began to quiver in their panes. He rattled the doorknob with such ferocity that it came off in his hand, making him curse softly. He was about to run back and ram the door with his shoulder when it swung open slowly, creaking terribly. Meg appeared before him, hair disheveled, eyes swollen and red. The look on her face made him tremble within.

"Where is she?" His voice sounded as though he'd swallowed sawdust.

She looked at him, her eyes wide, shining with unshed tears, face deathly pale. She lifted a long arm and pointed toward the staircase with a single bony finger.

"Fourth door on your left." The words were hollow and sounded strange in her own ears. Jack felt his stomach drop to his boot tops, but he woodenly moved to follow his directions, taking the steps two and three at a time.

Upon reaching the fourth door to the left, he stopped. What exactly lied just beyond this door? What had happened in his absence? What unwelcome sight would greet his eyes upon entrance? Would he be able to stand seeing her ill? What was wrong with her? Was she conscious? Could she acknowledge his presence? Would she? Was she even alive? He brushed these thoughts and slowly enter the room.


	19. Behind Closed Doors

Author's Note's: This time I had a end of the year , super long research paper hindering me from writing, I'm dreadfully sorry. And thank you to the two people who actually **reviewed**. Raine and Jeyke, I love you two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And if there's anyone else out there who's not mad enough at me to review, I'd greatly appreciate it if you did. It's really simple, just hit the purple button!!!!!

jeyke: Hun, I'm sorry it didn't come out any sooner. You have every right to flame me. Have at it. Sure, he'll have the surprise of his life all right. Methinks it's just not the way you had in mind...But I dunno. I'm really struggling with these next few chapters, so updates could come few and in between!

Raine: I'm sorry too. But you know what I'm dealing with and the dumb scenes I must be writin' in the pretty near future, so gimme a break! Puh-lease????

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Chapter 19:

It took several seconds for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the small room. It was crowded and had a peculiar smell like nothing he'd ever smelt before.

The first figure he saw after his eyes took his breath away, as if someone had punched him in the stomach. It was Melia. At least, he thought it was Melia's, but he'd never seen her like this before. AT that first glance he felt something within the depths of his very being die. She was incredibly pale, the pallor of her skin accented by the moonlight flowing over her shrunken form. Her dark hair was fanned out behind her head and her long lashes contrasted greatly to her pale cheeks. A limp hand rested atop the coverlet. Her body barely made a ripple in the fabric of the discolored blanket. She didn't move. Didn't stir. He could barely make out the rise and fall of her chest and it was only by that rise and fall that he could tell she was even alive. He felt his chest tighten and knew that tonight, for the first time since his mother died when he was a young lad, he was going to cry.

He moved as if to go to her, but then shrank back. Did he dare impose upon the shred of life that she was still clinging to? If he woke her would death's grip only increase? Could he stand to watch her breath her last? What if she should reach out to him? Could he bare the sure iciness of her fingers? Would he be able to---?

The questions swirling about in his mind abruptly came to a halt when a hand touched his shoulder. He spun around, pistol drawn, prepared to fight. He let out his breath and lowered the gun to his side when he saw Treva. The look on her face sent shivers racing up and down his spine and he gave an involuntary shiver. The look of hopelessness was almost more than his tortured spirit could bare. He could barely voice the question that pounded at his temples, making his head hurt terribly. His eyes must have betrayed him, because Treva's fleshy hand tightened on his shoulder.

"She's been awaitin' fer ya. Go to her."

"Is she..?" He bit back the end of his question.

"She's been ahangin' on. Won't let go afore she hears yer voice."

"Let go of what?" His voice was hollow, choked.

"She'll hang onta life as long as it takes, but she's not leavin' us til you go to 'er!"

"I don't want her to go--"

"She's in too much pain to go on livin'. It be the best thing."

"For who?!" Jack's voice was filled with hate. How could her leaving him be the best thing? He needed her, couldn't live without her. Had to hold on to her. Would never let her go. Ever.

Treva looked at him, her eyes mirroring his pain.

"Fer her. Don't know how I'm gonna go on livin' without 'er. Don't want to think on it. But losin' her baby killed her spirit. Now it's gonna kill her body. You gots to let go. I already let go. Dem girls downstairs are tryin' to let go. But you have to. Don't make her feel bad about leavin'."

"She lost...the baby...." Jack stared at Treva incredulously. "The baby? It's gone?" The words wouldn't register in his mind. "It died?"

Treva looked away from him. "Aye, she died. Melia washed 'er body with her own tears. Made a tiny gown with her own fingers. Dug the grave 'erself."

"When...?"

"Last night."

Jack's world froze as the words sank in. And for a long moment he was unable to breath. Melia's baby was gone. He felt a bit of his heart wretched out. He'd loved that child like it was his. Before Melia had requested to be taken back to Port Royal, he'd dreamed about the three of them traveling the Spanish Main. About teaching the wee child the secrets of the sea. Of making Melia and her unborn infant his own. Of begging her to reconsider going back to real civilization. But now...Everything had come crashing down on him. All his dreams, his goals, his plans, everything.

A pathetic moan jerked him from his thoughts and to the small bed instantly. Without even thinking he was kneeling by her side. Had her hand almost crushed between his own. Her eyes were wide in disbelief. She withdrew her hand from both of his and reached out as if to touch his face, but then hesitated. He felt tears well up in his eyes when he saw the ones in her own. She licked cracked lips and barely managed to faintly whisper.

"Jack? Is that really you?"


	20. I Love You, GoodBye

Hey guys, if you read this, PLEASE let me know. Since it's basically impossible to find out how many, if any people read your stories on this site, and I'd love to know. So just write a little I read this note type thing, PLEASE! Thanks!

And I'll put acknowledgements and all that jazz on a different chapter, so if you get an alert or anything after this, that's what it'll be. :)

Raine: Sorry it took so long. And that it's so short. I hate this! Wah.

jeyke: Fine I won't answer. :)

Chapter 20:

Her suspended hand dropped woodenly back to rest atop the coverlet as if suddenly too weak to brush against his face. The tears that welled up in her eyes spilled over. He subconsciously reached out and wiped them off of her cheeks like he'd done many times before in the past for somewhat smaller reasons. Her cheeks were so incredibly cold that he wondered why her tears hadn't frozen upon them. She licked her lips again and tried to speak, her whisper sounding strange to her own ears.

"It **is **you...I can't...believe it." Her words came in shallow gasps, reminding him in what critical condition she was in. Jack's mouth opened and closed as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't. She didn't seem to notice.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was so soft Jack had to strain to hear her even though the silence of the room was deafening.

"Why?" Was all he could manage.

"I must go. She'll will never stop crying if I don't." There were brief pauses between her words.

"Who'll never stop crying?" Jack looked at her curiously, trying to determine whether or not she was delirious or not.

"Little Pearl..." She was beginning to slip into sleep, and fear that she'd never wake up made him panic.

"What was she like?" He hurriedly asked, praying she'd be able to hear him through the fog of sleep and respond.

"She was...tiny....And all of her was there, even though she was born so...early. Every little finger. Every little toe. She was so....pretty, even for a baby. Prettier than any babe I'd ever seen before. And she had the longest...eyelashes. And dark hair. And itsy, bitsy ears...." A tear drifted down her cheek, but Jack made no move to wipe it away.

Jack could barely force himself to breath. There was a terrible weight on his chest, pressing him from all sides. All was quiet for several minutes. He didn't know what to say and she was trying to recuperate from her long speech.

"Don't mourn for me when I'm gone." Her words cut through the oppressing silence.

"Why not?" His words were almost bitter. She reached for his hand and closed both of hers over it.

"Because, I said not to." Her old impertinence hung dear even to death. "I won't to be cried over. I won't have you wasting away over a memory."

"I'll do whatever I please with my tears and my life!" His heart was breaking, his voice choked with tears.

"I know. I only thought I'd ask..." She murmured. Jack felt immediate reproach. He wanted her last memories of him to be good, so he could always remember her with a smile on her face.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, reaching out to cup her cheek with his hand.

"I don't want to leave you." Her voice sounded strangled and tears fell onto his fingers.

"Then don't! You can beat this! I know you can!" But his protests sounded hollow and foolish and neither of them believed them.

"I have to go."

"But--"

"You wouldn't know. You can't hear her crying, but I can. And it's awful. She's been wailing for hours and hours. She hasn't fully stopped once. These terrible, heart wrenching sobs, the little whimpers, the...The..." She broke off unable to speak for a few moments before giving herself a little shake and continuing her plea." I'm the only one who can make her stop. Not the angels in heaven nor the good Lord Himself. Only I."

"But surely she can wait a couple thirty or forty years, until I'm ready to go with you."

Melia gave him and incredulous look.

"I think not." Her tone softened. "Please Jack? Let me go." Her green eyes met his. "I always get my way in the end."

"Almost always," He said softly, freeing his hand from hers to trace the curve of her cheek lightly. "But I get my way more than you do."

"Please Jack....Don't..." She turned her head to look out the window at the faint rays of light that rose from the edge of the ocean.

"I'm coming." Jack made a strangled noise, but she paid him no attention.

"Melia!" He all but moaned. "Melia, please..."

She turned towards him, her eyes were apologetic.

"I love you, Jack. I've always loved you. With all my heart." She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it before look of total shock dawned on her face.

"Jack! She stopped! The crying stopped!" She clutched his hand excitedly.

"Melia? Melia stop! Please! Don't go! Melia..." He trailed off, lowering his head to his hands, crying great, gulping sobs.

Melia's eyes were closed. She'd breathed her last just as the sun had burst into a great ball of fire over the ocean.

Jack buried her next to Pearl, in the gown he'd brought as a surprise for her from deep within her trunk. She wore no jewelry. Her long hair flowed over her shoulders, the auburn highlights catching the sunlight that shone down through the tree branches. He cried no tears before he closed the coffin lid, just kissed her lightly on the lips for the first time, and the last, before the dry click and lowering her into the ground.

After her death, he was never the same. The only person who had ever loved him since his mothers death, was dead. Gone. He never even questioned whether or not there would be another who could love him after her. He never even allowed the thought to cross his mind. Instead, he went to bar wenches, just to feel loved, even for an evening. He named his ship the Black Pearl in honor of her daughter, a mourning ship of sorts. With sails black as midnight. His last connection to her. He could never stand to be separated from the ship for more than a fortnight. He hadn't bothered to remove her belongings from it, he'd just moved them out of his sight. To hide himself from painful reminders. But she'd always be there. Because he would never let go.

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Fin


	21. Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements! Woo!

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Night Music- Who didn't actually review this thing or anything, but you helped me with all the pirate who-ha. I couldn't have done it without you!

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Lady Lire Snowstorm- Thank you for your tips on what Mary-Sue is. I certainly hope that I wrote something bit better than the sort of Mary-Sue you described. :)

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cptnjcksparrow- Don't know what happened to you. But I loved you for every good thing you said about my story! Thank you so much for your encouragement.

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Liyh- I don't know what happened to you either, but the things you said about my story totally lifted me up!

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SayDee27-Dude! Almost all my reviewers are disappearing! Drat. Anywho, thanks for liking my story enough to sit around and wait for it to be updated, even though you got sick of waiting in the end!

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Master Lizard- You vanished too. My fault for making everyone wait so long. Brought it on myself. Well, I'm glad you liked it enough to review a couple of times before trying out your disappearing act!

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jeyke- My dear, what is there to say about you????? You're wonderful! With me from the beginning to very end. You ALWAYS made me smile! Keep up your writing, it's amazing. **_EMAIL ME_**, I'll miss you too much otherwise!

And finally...

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Raine Ishida- I can't believe this. I finished a story! Finally! Did you ever think it would happen?

Thank you so, so much for ALWAYS being there for me to cry on, to complain to, and to answer all of my questions. You helped me so much. I can't even begin to list everything. Thank you for all your advice about writing, especially when I got stuck in those major ruts. You have no idea how much I value your friendship. Me loves you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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To everyone else I didn't mention: Your reviews were wonderful. Thank you for your praise. And for the few that hated my story. I hope you found something you liked on this site. Sorry mine wasn't it.

Thank you guys so much for reading my story. Your reviews were my inspiration. You have no idea. Keep out an eye for me, I'll be back! And if any of you want to email me, it's angelfishie7yahoo.com, I **do **respond! **I LOVE YOU GUYS**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

etheriums angel


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